Skype is a proprietary piece of software which enables users to make phone calls over the internet. Calls can be made to any Skype user over the internet at no cost and any land line telephone number with a fee. Skype also has the ability to have audio conference calls, video conferences, the ability to share the desktop to other users in a conference and file transfers between Skype users.
Skype becomes an excellent tool for communication between administrators/faculty members and can be used effectively with parents as well. It can be used on many different platforms, including cell phones, which allows faculty, staff and parents to communicate quickly and effectively. Parents, faculty and staff are all extremely busy during the week and all have concerns about their students that they wish they could address, but can never find the time. Skype gives them this ability. Imagine that you, as the teacher, have a failing student in your Math class. Finding the time to schedule the parents, administrator and teacher to come to school for a conference can be very difficult. Parents have to take time from work, administrators have meetings and you, as the teacher, have planning and other duties to work around. Holding a video conference on Skype allows for a great deal of flexibility in scheduling the meeting. Parents can use an extended break to attend the video conference and the teacher/administrator can use their time more efficiently thanks to the flexible scheduling.
Using Skype in the classroom can be complicated, but it is possible. Group projects with the teacher in control of the computer running Skype would be the most ideal scenario. This allows the teacher to control and block the any improper materials from being exposed to the students. For example, a video conference between World Cultures classes in the US and Russia to discuss the differences and similarities between the two cultures. The teachers can use lcd projectors to display the image on a wall, remain in control of the connection and drive the discussion while keeping track of the content displayed at the same time.
While there are many positives with Skype, incorporating this piece of software into the classroom on an individual level would not be very safe to use. The ability to easily conference with other students during projects is negated by the lack of safety protocols in the program. Anyone can contact any other user at any time. Some may consider this a feature however, with regards to student safety, educators cannot allow the students to use this tool unsupervised. The risk for exposing the students to improper images, speech and people in general is too great to use in the classroom on an individual level. The teacher would use the majority of the class time policing the computers to make sure their students were not exposed to improper situations instead of teaching.
Skype becomes an excellent tool for communication between administrators/faculty members and can be used effectively with parents as well. It can be used on many different platforms, including cell phones, which allows faculty, staff and parents to communicate quickly and effectively. Parents, faculty and staff are all extremely busy during the week and all have concerns about their students that they wish they could address, but can never find the time. Skype gives them this ability. Imagine that you, as the teacher, have a failing student in your Math class. Finding the time to schedule the parents, administrator and teacher to come to school for a conference can be very difficult. Parents have to take time from work, administrators have meetings and you, as the teacher, have planning and other duties to work around. Holding a video conference on Skype allows for a great deal of flexibility in scheduling the meeting. Parents can use an extended break to attend the video conference and the teacher/administrator can use their time more efficiently thanks to the flexible scheduling.
Using Skype in the classroom can be complicated, but it is possible. Group projects with the teacher in control of the computer running Skype would be the most ideal scenario. This allows the teacher to control and block the any improper materials from being exposed to the students. For example, a video conference between World Cultures classes in the US and Russia to discuss the differences and similarities between the two cultures. The teachers can use lcd projectors to display the image on a wall, remain in control of the connection and drive the discussion while keeping track of the content displayed at the same time.
While there are many positives with Skype, incorporating this piece of software into the classroom on an individual level would not be very safe to use. The ability to easily conference with other students during projects is negated by the lack of safety protocols in the program. Anyone can contact any other user at any time. Some may consider this a feature however, with regards to student safety, educators cannot allow the students to use this tool unsupervised. The risk for exposing the students to improper images, speech and people in general is too great to use in the classroom on an individual level. The teacher would use the majority of the class time policing the computers to make sure their students were not exposed to improper situations instead of teaching.